Before You Fire Up The Barbecue Grill Check Out These Tips To Avoid Health Hazards

It's about that time when the barbecue grills will start to come out, friends over for a fun time and those wonderful summer nights. To be honest with you I had never thought about the hazards of grilling out except for the obvious like scorching yourself, the house or even your deck (I almost burned our house down once and will not go near a charcoal grill again). Apparently there are some health hazards that go along with grilling (besides burning down everything in sight) so be informed but not overwhelmed because here are some easy tips to make grilling safer.

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) warns studies have found grilling and broiling cause "muscle meats" (red meat, poultry, and fish) to produce cancer-causing compounds. These compounds, called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), have been shown to produce tumors in animals and possibly increase the risk of cancers of the breast, colon, stomach, and prostate in humans.

Tips To Reduce The Health Hazards Of Grilling

**Never use charcoal lighting fluid or self lighting packages of charcoal. They have a tendency to put residues from toxic chemicals in your food (yuck).

**Don't inhale, and cut off any charred or black parts.

**Marinating meats really helps to reduce their level of carcinogenicity on the grill. Marinate for at least four hours.

**Wrap fish in foil before placing it on the grill. This will prevent your fish from drying out as well as prevent deposition of chemical-containing smoke.

**Place food on grill after coals have cooled to embers, or adjust gas flow and rack height when using a gas grill.

**Try to do most of the cooking inside, in an oven , and then cook it over the coals just enough to impart that great flavor. This will reduce the time spent over the coals and still give you that grilled taste.

**Substitute grilled vegetables or fruits for part of the meat in your meal.

Happy and healthy grilling!